无辜

wúgū: 无辜 - Innocent, Blameless, Not Guilty

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: wugu, 无辜, innocent in Chinese, blameless Chinese, not guilty in Chinese, what does wugu mean, Chinese legal terms, how to say innocent, Chinese vocabulary, HSK 5 words.
  • Summary: Discover the meaning of 无辜 (wúgū), a crucial Chinese term for “innocent,” “blameless,” or “not guilty.” Primarily used in contexts of blame, wrongdoing, or legal matters, 无辜 describes someone who is free from fault or has been wrongly accused. This page delves into its character origins, cultural significance in the Chinese concept of justice, and provides numerous practical examples to help you understand how to use it to defend yourself, describe victims, or discuss fairness in modern China.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): wúgū
  • Part of Speech: Adjective, Noun
  • HSK Level: HSK 5
  • Concise Definition: Free from guilt or blame; not legally responsible for a crime or wrongdoing.
  • In a Nutshell: 无辜 (wúgū) is the word you use when someone is not at fault for a negative event. It's the direct opposite of being guilty. Imagine an innocent bystander caught in a traffic accident they didn't cause, or a person wrongly accused of cheating on a test. In both cases, they are 无辜. The word carries a strong emotional weight, implying that any suffering or punishment they receive is unjust and undeserved.

Character Breakdown

  • 无 (wú): This character means “no,” “not,” “without,” or “nothingness.” It is one of the most fundamental negative characters in Chinese.
  • 辜 (gū): This character means “guilt,” “crime,” or “fault.” It is often used in more formal or literary contexts related to wrongdoing.
  • Together, 无辜 (wúgū) literally translates to “without guilt.” The combination is direct and powerful, leaving no room for ambiguity about a person's lack of fault.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • In Chinese culture, the concept of 无辜 (wúgū) is deeply tied to ideas of justice (正义 zhèngyì), fairness (公平 gōngpíng), and the moral imperative not to wrong others. The term is frequently heard in legal dramas, news reports about court cases, and historical stories where protagonists are often wrongly accused and must prove their innocence.
  • A key cultural comparison is with the English word “innocent.” While “innocent” can mean “not guilty,” it can also mean naive, simple, or childlike (e.g., “an innocent child,” “an innocent question”). 无辜 (wúgū) almost exclusively refers to the first meaning: blamelessness in the face of an accusation or negative event. The Chinese word for childlike innocence is 天真 (tiānzhēn). This distinction is critical. To call an adult 无辜 implies they are being wrongly blamed, whereas calling them 天真 might imply they are naive or easily fooled.
  • The strong desire to protect the 无辜 and punish the guilty is a universal value, but in China, it often connects to the concept of 冤枉 (yuānwang) – the profound sense of grievance and injustice one feels when wrongly accused.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • 无辜 (wúgū) is a versatile word used in both formal and informal situations.
  • Formal & Legal Contexts: You will frequently see this term in the news, legal documents, and official statements. It's the standard word for “not guilty” in a legal sense.
    • Example: 报道称许多无辜的平民在冲突中丧生。 (Bàodào chēng xǔduō wúgū de píngmín zài chōngtū zhōng sàngshēng.) - “The report states that many innocent civilians died in the conflict.”
  • Everyday Conversations & Disputes: People use 无辜 to defend themselves when accused of something, large or small. It's a common way to declare, “It wasn't my fault!”
    • Example: 你为什么对我发脾气？我是无辜的！ (Nǐ wèishéme duì wǒ fā píqì? Wǒ shì wúgū de!) - “Why are you getting angry at me? I'm innocent!”
  • Social Media & Humorous Use: The term can be used in a lighter, more exaggerated way online. A user might post a picture of their pet who made a mess with a caption feigning innocence. This usage plays on the serious nature of the word for humorous effect.
    • Example (captioning a photo of a dog next to a broken vase): 看我无辜的眼神。 (Kàn wǒ wúgū de yǎnshén.) - “Look at my innocent eyes.”

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 经过长期的审判，法院最终判他无辜。
    • Pinyin: Jīngguò chángqī de shěnpàn, fǎyuàn zuìzhōng pàn tā wúgū.
    • English: After a long trial, the court finally found him innocent.
    • Analysis: This is a classic legal use of 无辜. The verb 判 (pàn) means “to sentence” or “to judge,” so 判他无辜 (pàn tā wúgū) means “to rule him innocent.”
  • Example 2:
    • 这件事完全是他的错，我只是一个无辜的旁观者。
    • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn shì wánquán shì tā de cuò, wǒ zhǐshì yīgè wúgū de pángguānzhě.
    • English: This was entirely his fault; I was just an innocent bystander.
    • Analysis: Here, 无辜 is used to emphasize that the speaker had no involvement or responsibility in the situation. 旁观者 (pángguānzhě) means “bystander.”
  • Example 3:
    • 别骂孩子了，他根本不知道发生了什么，他是无辜的。
    • Pinyin: Bié mà háizi le, tā gēnběn bù zhīdào fāshēngle shénme, tā shì wúgū de.
    • English: Stop scolding the child, he has no idea what happened, he's innocent.
    • Analysis: This demonstrates a common personal use: defending someone who is being unfairly blamed.
  • Example 4:
    • 战争中，最受苦的总是那些无辜的老百姓。
    • Pinyin: Zhànzhēng zhōng, zuì shòukǔ de zǒng shì nàxiē wúgū de lǎobǎixìng.
    • English: In war, it's always the innocent common people who suffer the most.
    • Analysis: In this sentence, 无辜 is used as an adjective to describe the victims (老百姓, lǎobǎixìng - common folk, civilians). This is a very frequent and powerful usage.
  • Example 5:
    • 他装出一副很无辜的表情，好像什么都与他无关。
    • Pinyin: Tā zhuāng chū yī fù hěn wúgū de biǎoqíng, hǎoxiàng shénme dōu yǔ tā wúguān.
    • English: He put on a very innocent expression, as if nothing had anything to do with him.
    • Analysis: This shows how 无辜 can describe an appearance or expression (表情, biǎoqíng). It implies someone is pretending to be blameless.
  • Example 6:
    • 我只是提了一个建议，结果他们吵起来了，我感觉很无辜。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì tíle yīgè jiànyì, jiéguǒ tāmen chǎo qǐláile, wǒ gǎnjué hěn wúgū.
    • English: I just made a suggestion, and as a result they started arguing. I feel so innocent/implicated for no reason.
    • Analysis: Here, 无辜 describes a feeling. The speaker feels they've been unfairly caught in the middle of a conflict they didn't intend to start.
  • Example 7:
    • 警方正在努力寻找证据，以证明他的无辜。
    • Pinyin: Jǐngfāng zhèngzài nǔlì xúnzhǎo zhèngjù, yǐ zhèngmíng tā de wúgū.
    • English: The police are working hard to find evidence to prove his innocence.
    • Analysis: In this example, 无辜 functions as a noun, meaning “innocence” (as a state or quality). 证明他的无辜 (zhèngmíng tā de wúgū) means “to prove his innocence.”
  • Example 8:
    • 作为一个消费者，我买到假货，我也是无辜的受害者。
    • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè xiāofèizhě, wǒ mǎi dào jiǎ huò, wǒ yěshì wúgū de shòuhàizhě.
    • English: As a consumer, I bought a fake product; I am also an innocent victim.
    • Analysis: This connects 无辜 directly with the concept of being a victim (受害者, shòuhàizhě). It's a way of saying “I was wronged through no fault of my own.”
  • Example 9:
    • 每次我父母吵架，都把我夹在中间，我太无辜了！
    • Pinyin: Měi cì wǒ fùmǔ chǎojià, dōu bǎ wǒ jiā zài zhōngjiān, wǒ tài wúgū le!
    • English: Every time my parents argue, I get stuck in the middle. I'm so innocent in all this!
    • Analysis: A slightly informal, emphatic use expressing frustration. The speaker is lamenting their blameless but unfortunate position.
  • Example 10:
    • 在你指责别人之前，先想想他是不是无辜的。
    • Pinyin: Zài nǐ zhǐzé biérén zhīqián, xiān xiǎng xiǎng tā shì bùshì wúgū de.
    • English: Before you accuse others, first consider whether they might be innocent.
    • Analysis: This sentence uses 无辜 in a piece of advice, highlighting its moral dimension and connection to fairness.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • “Innocent” (blameless) vs. “Innocent” (naive): This is the most critical pitfall for English speakers. 无辜 (wúgū) exclusively means blameless or not guilty. It does not mean naive, simple, or pure in a childlike way. For that meaning, you must use 天真 (tiānzhēn).
  • Incorrect Usage:
    • `他很无辜，竟然相信了那个骗子。` (Tā hěn wúgū, jìngrán xiāngxìnle nàgè piànzi.)
    • Why it's wrong: This sentence tries to use 无辜 to mean naive or gullible. It incorrectly implies he's “blameless” for believing a liar, which doesn't fit the context.
  • Correct Usage:
    • `他很天真，竟然相信了那个骗子。` (Tā hěn tiānzhēn, jìngrán xiāngxìnle nàgè piànzi.)
    • Translation: “He is very naive; he actually believed that scammer.”
  • Remember: If you are talking about fault or blame, use 无辜. If you are talking about a lack of experience or a pure, trusting nature, use 天真.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • * 无罪 (wúzuì) - Not guilty. This is a more formal, strictly legal term than 无辜. It literally means “without crime.” A court declares someone 无罪.
  • * 清白 (qīngbái) - Innocent, clean, stainless. This term relates more to one's reputation, honor, and moral character. It means to be “clear and white,” free of any stain of wrongdoing.
  • * 冤枉 (yuānwang) - To be wronged; to be unjustly accused. This is the feeling or situation of being treated unfairly when you are 无辜. It can be used as a verb (“Don't wrong me!”) or an adjective (“I feel so wronged!”).
  • * 天真 (tiānzhēn) - Naive, innocent in a childlike sense. The key term to distinguish from 无辜. It describes a personality trait, not a state of guiltlessness.
  • * 受害者 (shòuhàizhě) - Victim. An innocent person who suffers from a crime or disaster is a 无辜的受害者.
  • * 罪犯 (zuìfàn) - Criminal. The direct antonym of an 无辜 person in a legal context.
  • * 清者自清 (qīng zhě zì qīng) - An idiom meaning “the innocent will prove their own innocence” or “truth will out.” It reflects a cultural belief that a person who is truly blameless doesn't need to argue too much, as their clean character will eventually be seen.